ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Two graduating Winthrop University seniors are among the youngest students to graduate from Winthrop with a four-year degree. The two will receive their degrees during the May 7 Commencement ceremonies.
Sydney Broadus and Ta-Taya Campbell, both of Spartanburg, South Carolina, participated in a four-year dual enrollment program through Spartanburg High School where they took a mix of high school and college courses. By the time they entered Winthrop in 2019, they had earned an associate’s degree and had enough credits at Spartanburg Community College to start Winthrop as upperclassmen.
With credits already accumulated for the university’s general education requirements, the two only had to take Winthrop courses in their major and then Winthrop-specific general education requirements.
Broadus, 19, earned a mass communication degree in broadcasting and a minor in marketing. Her goal is to become a radio broadcaster and social media influencer on YouTube and other platforms.
Broadus was drawn to Winthrop because several of her family members, including her mother, two aunts and an uncle, attended the university, she said.
During her time at Winthrop she enjoyed working with the Winthrop Close-Up television program and on interesting marketing class projects such as the development of The Perch near the university’s campus. After graduation, she will work in marketing in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Campbell, 20, majored in psychology and minored in sociology during her two years at Winthrop. Her focus has been to work in applied behavioral analysis (ABA), which is a type of therapy for autistic children that can improve social, communication and learning skills through positive reinforcement.
She expects to earn certification as a registered behavior technician and will continue to work with her current Rock Hill employer, The Learning Curve.
Both seniors said they made sacrifices in high school – their cohort consisted of the same 20 students for all classes – so that they could get a step ahead in college.
“I’ve loved the social interaction I’ve had here,” Campbell said. “I’ll miss the fun activities that we used to do.”
Broadus noted that she leaves Winthrop with only $7,500 in student loans, which will help her navigate her future with fewer financial burdens. “Early college is the way to go,” said Broadus, who was thankful for her school district’s Spartanburg County Early College High School.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or longshawj@winthrop.edu.
